Court issues notice on lawyers' plea against in-camera proceedings

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Last Updated: Mon, Jan 07, 2013 13:10 hrs

New Delhi, Jan 7 (IANS) A Delhi court Monday issued notice to the city government on a plea filed by a group of lawyers challenging the decision to hold the Dec 16 gang-rape case proceedings in-camera.

Seeking "pre-trial proceedings" of the case to be held in a "transparent manner", the lawyers moved the district judge's court after Metropolitan Magistrate Namrita Aggarwal passed an order restraining public, including the media, from attending and reporting the case.

District Judge R.K. Gauba, passing the order on the lawyers' plea, said: "At this stage, Inder Kumar, additional public prosecutor for Delhi government, take notice. The APP submits he would need time to collect the facts and inform the concerned prosecutor."

"Put up for filing of copy of order, reply and further consideration on Jan 9, 2013."

Advocates Poonam Kaushik and D.K. Misra in their plea sought that the court set aside Aggarwal's order directing further proceedings in the case to be held in-camera by invoking section 324 (2) & (3) CrPc.

During the hearing, the advocate also brought to the notice of Gauba that Delhi Police had issued advisory to the media restraining them from publishing the news related to the case.

To this, the judge observed that in the absence of any order from the court, the "police advisory is not binding".

Aggarwal earlier in the day ordered in-camera proceedings in the Dec 16 gang-rape case following an "unprecedented situation" of overcrowding inside the courtroom by reporters, lawyers, security personnel and onlookers.

The court also restrained the media from reporting any news related to the case without its permission.